results, women are just as likely as men to have a
mentor. However, women staffing professionals are
more likely to be mentored by women and their
male counterparts are more likely to be mentored
by men.

Among other factors staffing professionals
see as being beneficial to their staffing industry
futures: One-third say their character, work ethic,
persistence, and dedication have helped them to
advance—with no significant difference by gender.

Other factors they noted include
n A desire to learn and understand the industry (13%)
n Networking and good people skills (11%)
n Experience (11%)
n Great managers/leadership (8%)

Developing Staffing Industry Leaders

ASA survey results confirm that perceptions
and challenges regarding gender gaps persist in the
staffing industry. However, these are tempered by
quite a bit of optimism regarding advancement and
opportunity.

The results the association culled, combinedwith the copious and in-depth research ASA hasconducted on employee engagement and work-force trends, support the following recommenda-tions—which will be the focus of part two of thisStaffing Success series on women in leadership.n Explore mentor programs—or if your companyalready has a mentor program in place, reassess itseffectiveness. Mentors and coaches often volun-teer their time and do the heavy lifting along withthe mentees once a program is in place.n Ensure all corporate staff—from the c-suite to thebranch offices—have a professional developmentplan along their desired career path. Leadershipshould check progress periodically and help makeneeded adjustments.n Offer training and professional developmentopportunities across all company levels, not justfor managers and above. Remember to includesoft skills training that can help encourage promo-tions to leadership positions.n Recognize and reward leadership at all levels ofthe company. Positive reinforcement supports aworkplace culture that encourages growth amongall employees, and can help create more growthopportunities for women. n

Cynthia Poole is the director of research for ASA. Send your feedback on this article to success@americanstaffing.net. Engage with
ASA on social media—go to americanstaffing.net/social.

How many data systems do you use to run your staffing company? How many hours does it take to enter your weekly
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